How to Clean Used Furniture to Prevent Bed Bugs

Buying new furniture can be a big expense for a lot of people. That’s why buying used furniture or even finding some on the curb of someone’s yard are common alternatives to buying brand new furniture. However, while the price may be lower, there are some downsides to buying used furniture. The couch you’re bringing into your home might just have a nasty surprise waiting for you.

What to Know When You Buy Used Furniture

If you’re set on buying used furniture there are a few things you should know to prevent bed bugs from infesting your home. We’ll go over a few of your options here.

Inspection

Bed bugs like to hide in nooks and crevices of furniture. If you want to be sure that your furniture doesn’t have bed bugs you should thoroughly inspect it top to bottom and inside and out. Use a bright flashlight and check all of the seams and cracks. If the furniture you’re buying has cushions, remove them and get a good look at every inch of them. Even remove the fabric cover if it has one to ensure there are no bed bugs hiding inside. 

Picking the Right Furniture

Some furniture is not only less likely to have bed bugs but also easier to inspect. Try sticking to basic furniture that doesn’t have a lot of hiding spots. Even better, if you’re willing to buy wooden furniture you should because it’ll be very easy to detect any bed bugs hiding on it and there’s also less of a chance of there being an infestation. If you can, avoid upholstered furniture because it can be extremely hard to find bed bugs hiding in it.

Keep It Outside

Inspecting your furniture is a good way of seeing if you have a bed bug problem. However, as hard as you look there could still be bed bugs hiding in it. If you’re not positive that the furniture is free of bed bugs then keep it outside before the next step.

Cleaning Up

If you don’t see any bed bugs but you still want to be sure that there aren’t any crawling around on your furniture then here’s what you can do. While the furniture is still outside use a vacuum on it to thoroughly clean any bed bugs or eggs from it. Get in all of the cracks and on every inch including the bottom and inside of the cushions. Once you’ve vacuumed it then put the cushions inside your washing machine on high heat, and then in the dryer on high heat as well. The high temperatures will kill anything living on the cushions. Since you probably can’t fit your furniture into a washing machine try using a steamer on high heat to get rid of any bed bugs. If you don’t have a steamer you can also cover your furniture in an airtight plastic bag and leave it outside on a hot day. Keep in mind that the internal temperature needs to be at least 110 degrees for around 3 hours to be effective. 

Key Takeaways To Prevent Bed Bugs

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  Inspect your furniture before you buy

  
  
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  Buy simple furniture that will be easy to inspect and hard for bed bugs to hide in

  
  
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  Leave your furniture outside until it’s been cleaned

  
  
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  Wash and dry the cushions on high heat and steam or wrap what you can’t fit inside a washer

  
  

Want to Learn More About Bed Bug Prevention?

Bed Bug BBQ is the #1 source of information on bed bug prevention. If you want to learn about different ways to prevent bed bugs or the risks they pose to you then feel free to visit our website or call us at (216) 400-5330